WASHINGTON, DC -- "I believe private property rights protection is one of the most important issues we will tackle this session, but I also believe we need to do it in the most sensible, viable manner, without creating any more bureaucratic nightmares," said Congressman Collin Peterson (DFL-7th District).
Peterson made his statement today during a hearing before the Agriculture Subcommittee on Resource Conservation, Research and Forestry.
"The right to own property is one of the basic doctrines of our constitution," Peterson said. "This debate is a vital issue to every land owner in this country, especially the American farmer. A farmer's land is a farmer's life.
"Over the past decade, there has been an enormous expansion in government restrictions on private land, specifically by far reaching and over burdensome environmental regulation. As a result, private property owners repeatedly lose economic use of their property.
"In situations where the government regulates to the point that the property owner may not use his property, or the property is substantially devalued, it is only fair and just for the property owner to be compensated in kind. Not to do so, is comparable to unfunded mandates I have fought so strongly against this year.
"Wealthy people and big corporations have the resources to protect their property rights through the litigation process," Peterson said. "But the average person doesn't have the money to defend his or her property rights in court. What we need to do is set up a process where people don't have to hire a lawyer, spend a lot of their own money and billions of taxpayer dollars to defend their basic property rights.
"People in this country who purchase and pay taxes on property should not have to endure their rights being stripped away. The federal government must be responsible for its actions. Congress must act to minimize the taking of our constitutionally protected property rights."